Anode for electroplating by hand



May 11, 1937. M. scHLOTTER ANODE FOR ELECTROPLATING BY HAND Filed March 28. 1935 INVENTOR.

/XA'CH4 7' 71E/e. BY

` ATTORNEY:

AVA.

Patented May 1l, 1,937` t h A y N Application March z8, 1935, serial No. 13,444 i `In Germany April 13, 1934 2 claims. `(o1. 2414-5) My invention relates to an anodeifor electrothe rubber contracts so it still is drawn tightly plating surfaces,` such as worn spots on containand smoothly on to the surface ofthe anode in ers, with tin or other plating metal.` contrast with the non-stretching non-resilient Heretofore in localized plating ofthis type fabric carriers which would thus become loose 5 the electric current was passed from an` anode of and wrinkle. the metal to be plated through an electrolyte VAny suitable type of porous or microporous' carried in a fibrous material, such asloth or rubber may be employed. For `example the felt saturated with `the electrolyte, to the surporous or microporous rubber made from latex face to be plated which served as a cathode. `The or provided in making with a multitude of minute lo anode, which is movable, may be moved together passages or pores may be employed, or sheet gwith the fibrous electrolyte carrying layer over rubber in which openingslor pores are mechanthe surface to be plated so as to uniformly coat ically formed may be employed. n the area or surface to be coated. The'brous or The anodes that are covered with the porous cloth electrolyte carriers have the disadvantage rubber sheet are preferably bent upwardly at l5 that they do not sit firmly on the anode but` the edges to form aeontainer-like or basin struc- 15 crumple very easily, and as the, solution of the ture and are provided-fwithanumber of capillary anode progresses tend to cover it irregularly so` ducts through whichiithe electrolytemay be sup that the resistance between the electrodes is not plied to the porous rubber 'material thereby uniform throughout their surface, but varies assuring a supply of electrolyte. The rubber from place to place. This varies the current sheet is preferably turned up over the edges and 20 density and produces an irregular electrolytic side surfacesoftheanode so that the latter may deposit forming a spongy deposit where the curfit into anglesand plate surfaces at an angle to n rent density is too high, and a thin deposit where each other. Electrolyte supply ducts are pro- UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE l the density is low. vided in the anode either perpendicularly or at an Moreover electrolyte carriers of felt or cloth do oblique angle to the surface. 25

not wear well so that their life is short and fibers For the production of satisfactory metal deand threads become loosened or pulled from their posits metal lons other than those of the metal surface, particularly if the cathode surface being to be deposited should be excluded; therefore, in plated is rough. Wherever these fibers `or my invention all metal parts which come in conthreads adhere to or get caught on the cathode tact with the electrolyte are formed of the metal 30 they form an insulated spot which is notplated, to be deposited or of a nobler metal, that is, one

Y or in which the plating is defective. that is lower in the electrorrotive series.`

These various disadvantages and defects are Various features of the invention are illusovercome in my present invention which provides trated in the accompanying drawing in which a porous electrolyte carrier of insulating mate i Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an anode em- 35 rial of good wearing quality that fits the anode bodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section of anclosely and without wrinkling or crumpling and other embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a which avoids the use of bers that may become face view of a portion of the face of the anode of loosened or deposited on the cathode surface. Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a partial section taken along the In accordance with my invention I provide an axes of ducts in the anode of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 40 electrolyte carrier made of a porous cr microis a side view of an extension handle for the porous elastic resilient material, such as rubber. anode. l l inasmuch as rubber resists wear well and provides Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the a smooth even surface it may be made relatively anode comprises a plain sheet or layer of metal thin and thus decrease the resistance to a mini- I0 which may be of circular, rectangular or other 45 mum and cut down voltage losses.. shape and having upturned sides l l thus forming Moreover as the path of travel of the metal a central receptacle space l2 in which a small ions is shortened by the use of a thin electrolyte quantity of electrolyte may be carried. Capillary carrier the drop in concentration of these ions ducts I3 are provided in the sheet I0 and the betwe l anode and cathode is `correspondingly upturned sides Il extend from the receptacle 50 decrea ed. space I2 to the outer surface of the anode. A The.' electrolyte carrier of a thin porous or sheet I4 of porous or microporous rubber is microporous rubber sheet also hasfthe advantage stretchedpvier the outer surface and upturned that it may be stretched tautly on the surface of sides of the anode and is secured near the edges the `anode so that as the anode is dissolved away of the latter by an .encircling band l5 of rubber 55 or metal which is contracted into an annular recess I6 in the anode.

The capillary ducts I3 are suciently small to prevent the ready leakage of electrolyte but serve in the manner of a Wick to supply this electrolyte to the sheet Il and maintain the latter filled at all times with the electrolyte. This prevents the electrolyte carrier Il from becoming inactive through loss of electrolyte. A supply of the electrolyte may be contained in the container v space I2.

The anode is provided with an upstanding bracket or post I1 to which a handle I8 is secured by means of a joint I9. This joint may be a ball joint, or a flat joint which will permit the anode to tilt and adapt itself to contact with surfaces at various inclinations. This enables the anode to be used on surfaces that would otherwise be inaccessible, and enables it to plate corners and inclined spaces.

In the modication shown in Fig. 2, inclined ducts 20 and2I are employed. These ducts are oblique to the surface of the anode but extend alternately in reversed directions. That is, one row will extend obliquely in one direction and the adjacent row obliquely in the opposite direction.

This has the advantage that if the anode is held vertically the electrolyte cannot flow out oi' all of the ducts. In case one row of ducts tilts downwardly, the next adjacent row being at an angle of 45 degreesthereto will extend upwardly and retain the electrolyte. This enables the ducts 20, 2I to be somewhat larger inasmuch as the outow of electrolyte by gravity is prevented.

'Ihese inclined ducts may be used with a hollow anode, such as shown in Fig. 1, but the provision ofr a hollow or container space is not essential rwhen such ducts are employed. In the modification shown in Fig. 2, therefore, the anode consists of merely a flat plate or mass of anode metal.

In order that the electrolyte owing out of a downwardly inclined row of ducts may not be lost, zig-zag grooves 22 may be formed in the outer surface of the anode, indicated in Figs. 3 andd4. It will be apparent that in this arrangement electrolyte owing out of one set of inclined ducts 20, for example, will flow through the groove 22 into the next adjacent duct 2|, for example'.

When plating the inside of hollow bodies as, for instance, milk cans, it is of advantage to extend the distance from the handle to the anode. This may be accomplished as shown in Fig. 5, by providing sectional extensions 23,` 24, one of which may screw into the handle element I8, or may replace the handle I8. By screwing the end of one extension into a socket provided in the end of an other, a handle of any desired length may be obtained.

Through my above invention, therefore, I provide an anode havingan electrolyte retaining covering that is tightly and smoothly held to the anode metal and which eliminates imperfections due to wrinkling, crumpling, and avoids loosened fibers or particles on the surface being plated.

What I claim is:-

1. Electrolytic apparatus comprising a metallic anode and a sheetv of porous rubber stretched over the exposed surface of said anode, said anode having capillary ducts opening into contact with Said porous rubber sheet. and extending obliquely in groups in different directions. v

2. Electrolytic apparatus comprising a metallic anode and a sheet of porous rubber stretched over the exposed surface of said anode, said anode having capillary ducts opening into Contact with said porous rubber sh'eetand extending obliquely in groups in different directions, said anode having grooves communicating with the ducts of said different groups.

MAX scHLTTER. 

